Bought a boat, now it's broke!

[Kuneha]

Hello there,

Please excuse my ignorance, I am new to boats and so still trying to remember my starboard to my port.

I have just bought a 1999 Regal Commodore 242 fitted with a Mercruiser 5.0 EFI. (340 hours)

When the boat was launched and I had to move the boat to my space on the moorings, I started having engine problems.

The engine keeps cutting out 3-4 seconds after starting it. It idles fine for 3-4 seconds then dies completely. It also died when putting in reverse or forward. If I rev the engine just after starting, it struggles slightly then runs fine indefinitely, and idles fine indefinitely. I am not sure of the significance of this.

I consulted the marine engineers at the marina and they said it just needs a service and new ignition coil to fix the issue, but after ?350 the problem still exists.

I am unsure what to do as the I don't want to spend money constantly replacing bits with the promise it'll fix the problem.

The rev gauge is stuck at 1000rpm as well, is this a common issue?

What are your thoughts?

 

[airdvr1227]

Sounds like a problem with the choke to me. On a carbed motor you must set the choke when the motor is cold. To do this you simply open the throttle lever all the way a couple of times before you start. This should set the choke. Carbed motors need to warm up before you operate them. Let the motor idle for a few minutes until you see the temperature gauge come up. Then it should operate as normal.

From whom did you buy? Does the tachometer work at all or just stay at 1000?

 

[JoLin]

Scott, he has EFI, not carb... but don't know whether it's throttle body or MPI.

 

[redneck joe]

Welcome to the forum. Left and port have the same amount of letters.

 

[Kuneha]

It is throttle body injection. Port, left.

I bought the boat privately. The tach is simply stuck on 1000 and does not move, but the hour meter still does.

Thanks.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard.

Could be a plugged IAC, or water in the fuel

 

[Kuneha]

It was just serviced, I believe the fuel filter was changed along with fresh fuel in the tank. I thought the IAC too but I have just started the boat and it idled perfectly fine for 30 mins. I'm utterly confused and cannot trust the boat.

 

[Kuneha]

I'd like to report my findings.

There seems to be two scenarios in which the engine decides to stall or decides to idle and run perfectly fine.

These are...

When I initially start the engine, it will read just below 13 volts on the dial and so the engine will idle and eventually cough and die after a few seconds.

If I apply some throttle while it's idling (before it dies) at 13 volts the engine will rev up and dump fuel to stop it from dying (coughs a little bit at high rpm while doing this) and the volts will shoot to 13.7 to 14 volts and stay there. Once it's at this reading the boat will idle (and rev) perfectly fine on its own.

What would be the significance of this be?

 

[Rick Stephens]

I'd like to report my findings.

There seems to be two scenarios in which the engine decides to stall or decides to idle and run perfectly fine.

These are...

When I initially start the engine, it will read just below 13 volts on the dial and so the engine will idle and eventually cough and die after a few seconds.

If I apply some throttle while it's idling (before it dies) at 13 volts the engine will rev up and dump fuel to stop it from dying (coughs a little bit at high rpm while doing this) and the volts will shoot to 13.7 to 14 volts and stay there. Once it's at this reading the boat will idle (and rev) perfectly fine on its own.

What would be the significance of this be?

no significance. that's just how the alternator works.

 

[Kuneha]

I would agree but why would it be the difference between the engine being able to stay on opposed to it cutting out? - Does this signify and electrical problem?

 

[thumpar]

Try disconnection the tach wire from the coil. We know there is a problem there and that could be grounding out.

 

[Jet A-1]

I'd try the simple stuff first. Swap in a fresh battery that you know is good. If that doesn't fix it, I'd have a good look at all the electrical connections, especially those on the battery and the alternator.

 

[airdvr1227]

Scott, he has EFI, not carb... but don't know whether it's throttle body or MPI.

I guess the wife is right. Time for new glasses.

 

[H20Rat]

When I initially start the engine, it will read just below 13 volts on the dial and so the engine will idle and eventually cough and die after a few seconds.

If I apply some throttle while it's idling (before it dies) at 13 volts the engine will rev up and dump fuel to stop it from dying (coughs a little bit at high rpm while doing this) and the volts will shoot to 13.7 to 14 volts and stay there. Once it's at this reading the boat will idle (and rev) perfectly fine on its own.

What would be the significance of this be?

If it was doing anything BUT that, I'd be worried. Alternators require a certain rpm before they energize, especially GM 1-wire alternators.

 

[grewvin1]

For that amount of cash what exactly did they do? Plugs, timing, carb filter, clean flame arrestor (let it breath). Can let us know what was done. Timing can be a big one.

 

[Kuneha]

They changed the plugs, oil, fuel and oil filter along with a new ignition coil for that price.

The boat was just scanned and diagnosed with low fuel pressure. The marine engineers bypassed the fuel pump with their own to see if the engine would run without issues, and they said it ran perfect. So now they want to change the fuel pump.

They said the pump itself is ?450 because it is a water-cooled unit. Does this sound right?

Does this have both an electrical and mechanical pump?

It is a Mercruiser 5.0 EFI TBI V8 1999 just for clarification.

 

[thumpar]

My 1996 TBI has both mechanical and electric but they are not water cooled.

 

[Kuneha]

After doing some research I think it's safe to say that the mechanical pump is more of a lift or transfer pump from the tank and then the electric fuel pump pressures fuel to the TBI. This makes logical sense to me.

I can't imagine the mechanical pump failing at this point as the engine does always start after it dies so there is always fuel in the system. They're saying there is low fuel pressure so I would think they tested the electrical pump, which I can get and fit myself for a lot less that ?600 (part & labour) that they quoted.

 

[thumpar]

Yes that is how it works. The mechanical pump feeds the higher pressure electric pump that goes to the injectors.

 

[Kuneha]

Where can I find this high pressure fuel pump on the engine?

Would these pumps suffice?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Press...8AAOSw~OdVbKRj

or

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quicksilve...oAAOSw~oFXM1FG

based on this image.



I would simply change the fuel pumped located on number 29 above and all should be good if the diagnosis is correct?

I read about someone attempting this but the pump they bought was only threaded on one end as they are in the eBay ones. Is this the one you think I need? - I suppose I'll have to go to the boat and remove it to find out.